We performed our usual shopping run to Sainsbury’s this morning.

Tables outside still

As we went through Chapel Market, I noticed that some of the cafes are still setting tables outside for their hardier customers.

Sainsbury’s

We were a little later than usual which may be why Sainsbury’s was a little busier than usual first thing on Sunday.

When Tigger put away the shopping at home, she discovered that one “fresh” item was in fact 11 days beyond its sell-by date and that another had a broken container. After lunch, then, we returned to Sainsbury’s to return these items. We were given a refund of their cost.

Police vehicles in Tolpuddle Street

From Sainsbury’s, we went to the deli for our coffee but took the long way round (exercise is good for you!), striking off along Tolpuddle Street. There is a police station in this street (one that they haven’t managed to close yet). The street has double yellow lines all along its length but this doesn’t prevent them parking police vehicles along it. Then again, who’s going to put a parking ticket on a police vehicle?

Lloyd Baker Street

After our coffee break, we set off along Lloyd Baker Street. The sunny morning had mutated into a cloudy afternoon though it was pleasant enough for a stroll.

Georgian Houses, Lloyd Square

We walked round Lloyd Square with its lovely Georgian-style houses. These have triangular pediments as though the architect sought to marry the Georgian style with Greek classical.

Boot scraper

In front of some of the Georgian houses, you still find stout iron boot scrapers, a reminder of how muddy London’s streets tended to be in the 18th and 19th century. Having fallen into disuse, many of these scrapers are broken or have disappeared entirely. In some cases, the scraper is perched right on the edge of the path so that the mud falls down into the basement where the servants would have to deal with it.

Surviving ironwork

Boot scrapers were not the only ironwork to grace these buildings: there were also the railings (necessary to stop passers-by falling into the basement “area”) and decorative work at the windows. Being necessary for safety, railings survive but ironwork at the windows is increasingly rare though some beautiful examples survive.

Cumberland Gardens

We entered Cumberland Gardens by the pedestrian path at the lower end. In summer, the gardens in the left had been ablaze with flowers but these have now died away until next year.

Autumn foliage

There was still some colourful autumn foliage to make up for the lack of flowers. And look at how many chimneys there are on the roof! These would be chimneys for two houses but even so, it’s an impressive number. Imagine this number of chimneys multiplied by the number of houses: no wonder London’s nickname used to be The Smoke!

Percy Circus Gardens

We passed through the elegant Percy Circus with its central garden in which we enjoyed some happy times with coffee and perhaps even s picnic lunch, during our lockdown walks. In fact, today’s stroll reminded me very much of those lockdown outings.

The path to Holford Gsrdens

We walked up the path that leads to the small park called Holford Gardens behind Bevin Court. (The path probably has a name but, if so, I don’t know what it is.)

Fallen tree, Holford Gardens

When we passed this way during our lockdown walks, we used to admire the Leaning Tree. That tree sloped at what seemed an extreme angle but, for all that, it seemed healthy enough. Then, one day, tragedy struck and the tree fell. I’m glad to see that the trunk has been left in place where it can be used by the smaller inhabitants of the park. It even seems to have put out some new twigs though these have now withered.

The path continues

The path continues beside Bevin Court. There is grass and there are trees and the trees have an interesting feature:

Bat box

That is, bat boxes have been installed in them. (Bat boxes, in case you haven’t come across them before, are like bird boxes but for bats. Instead of a front entrance, they have an entrance at the bottom.) I have not so far seen any bats here but perhaps that’s because I haven’t been here at the right time of day.

Bevin Court

We passed in front of Bevin Court, that “cliff of apartments”, with its pleasant and well tended garden in front. Here too, the trees have something of use to wild life:

Bird box

Bird boxes have been installed. These look quite new and I hope they will attract tenants in due course.

Cruikshank Street

We returned home via Cruikshank Street where I photographed this sign in the road. It indicates that this is, or rather was, a parking space for an ambulance. It is obviously obsolete because it has been partially covered by installing a bollard. I have tried to find out whether there was once a hospital here or whether there was some other reason to provide a parking space for an ambulance, but without success. For now, the mystery remains.

Pigeon banquet

As we passed through Claremont Square, I took my last photo: a flock of pigeons enjoying a banquet that someone has put out for them. This cheerful scene gave me a cheerful memory to carry home with me.